Research On Thoughts Of Epigraphy In The Late Qing Dynasty(1814——1911)

Based on the research method and the structure of art thoughts, this thesis gives a brief review and interpretation of epigraphy in the late Qing Dynasty, including the academic background, the logical starting point and staging, theoretical concepts, the main schools of calligraphy, representative calligraphers and the significance of thoughts of epigraphy. It presents a clear line of development of the complex and changeable thoughts on epigraphy in the late Qing Dynasty, thus revealing its guidance significance to the modern concept of art of calligraphy.Thoughts on epigraphy have arisen out of complex social factors, such as the change of times, change of the academic atmosphere and the enlightenment of modern thoughts, excavations and new discoveries of epigraphic literature, and so on, all this having a direct relationship with the rise thoughts of epigraphy in the late Qing Dynasty. However, the direct factor should be the logic results of calligraphy art’s development. Therefore, concerning the academic background of the rise of thoughts of epigraphy, this paper puts emphasis on paper calligraphy crisis and gives a brief introduction to factors like the promotion of epigraphy and the transition of academic thoughts in the early Qing Dynasty.From "Schools of Calligraphy in South and North" and "Inscriptions in the North and Paper Calligraphy in the South" written by Ruan Yuan, to the theory system of epigraphy completed by Bao Shichen, Kang Youwei, and then to the popularity of calligraphy creation of epigraphy, the thoughts of epigraphy in the late Qing Dynasty are not only involved in the reconstruction of the calligraphy history and the calligraphy theory, and bring about the huge change of calligraphy creation from techniques to ideas during the period of Late Qing and Early Republic of China. Mr. Liang Qichao summed up the three hundred years’academic history of late Ming Dynasty to the late Qing Dynasty as "seeking liberation in history and tradition". The thoughts of epigraphy in the late Qing Dynasty also have the same academic characteristics. Behind the retro tendency of "honoring the inscriptions and curbing paper calligraphy", the essence is a pursuit of academic reform and innovation, which is a modern exploration of new calligraphy norms. As an art carried by words and literature, calligraphy also carries the cultural function of spreading Confucian orthodoxy and transmitting text information in addition to its aesthetic value. This unique feature ensures that the innovation of the development of calligraphy must be performed from inside the system. Each reform and innovation in the history of calligraphy was performed in the way of tracking and tracing "retro" mode. From such a sense, the retro tendency of "honoring the inscriptions and curbing paper calligraphy" in the late Qing Dynasty is associated with the academic background of "seeking liberation in history and tradition" of the Qing Dynasty, but also reflects the evolution rules of calligraphy.The collapse of monarchy in the Qing Dynasty, along with the extensive application of and photographic printing technology, hampers the development of epigraphy in the late Qing Dynasty. However, as the pursuit of new calligraphy standard, the significance of artistic innovation has not ended.This paper focuses on the formation and the core point of view of epigraphy as a "conceptual structure" from the evolution rules of calligraphy, and points out that, as a new thought of art in pursuit of new calligraphy norms, epigraphy still has realistic significance to the contemporary calligraphy.